The second time for this consular team; Claudius had served as praetor the previous year.

The service and Imperium of the consuls of the previous year were continues under the still relatively new office of proconsul (hence the name); the extension of the Roman territory and the magnitude of the Samnite conflict required more commands in farther locations.

The economy should have been in problems, because the two curule aediles (Livius,X. XXIII)
In turn, their colleagues the Plebeian aediles (Ibid)

It is often forgotten that the natives of southern Italy (Samnites, Lucanians & allies) were being attacked simultaneously & independently from both sides, the Romans from the north and the Hellenes of Agathokles of Syrakousai from the south.

295/294 BC...

Don't be angry sylla1, I'll use this to give my own contribution.

Livy is writing about Verginia, wife of aforementioned Volumnius. the plebeian consul. According to Livy, she was a woman from very rich, patrician family, while Volumnius represented class of not so powerful plebeians. Patrician matrons expelled her from their sacred rituals under the excuse that the patrician woman married for plebeian is not worthy of that honor. Verginia defended herself claiming that she is honorable woman, that she had no man before marriage and was virgin at the day of the wedding, and that her husband is actually honorable man who shouldn't be ashamed of his political career like she is not ashamed because of him. In accordance to that, one major part of the house where they lived, was turned into a little chapel in which she put altar. She invited all plebeian matrons and told them about her case. In that year(296) the temple of sacred Pudicitas was established.

Livy is writing about Verginia, wife of aforementioned Volumnius. the plebeian consul. According to Livy, she was a woman from very rich, patrician family, while Volumnius represented class of not so powerful plebeians. Patrician matrons expelled her from their sacred rituals under the excuse that the patrician woman married for plebeian is not worthy of that honor. Verginia defended herself claiming that she is honorable woman, that she had no man before marriage and was virgin at the day of the wedding, and that her husband is actually honorable man who shouldn't be ashamed of his political career like she is not ashamed because of him. In accordance to that, one major part of the house where they lived, was turned into a little chapel in which she put altar. She invited all plebeian matrons and told them about her case. In that year(296) the temple of sacred Pudicitas was established.

287
Promulgation of the Lex Hortensia de Plebiscitis(from the name of its proposer, the dictator Quintus Hortensius)
The law ratified the assimilation, in terms of legal efficiency, of the plebiscita (the decisions taken by the concilia plebis tributa) with the leges comitiales, thus making the formers binding on all citizens.
Another step was taken towards the democraticization of the Roman political institutions.

The same year also saw the promulgation of another lex hortensia, the Lex Hortensia De Nundinis.
According to this law, during the nundinae(market days), it was possible to execute judiciary actions, thus enabling foreigners(who usually came to Rome only during the market days) to fulfill their legal demands more easily.